


The Night Before

by katerleegrand



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, Boys Kissing, Character Death, Comfort, Expanding on canon, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, Ignis has a nightmare, Implied Relationships, Kissing, M/M, Nightmares, Noctis comforts him, Sadness, that's about it actually, tho not really
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-08
Updated: 2020-07-08
Packaged: 2021-03-04 18:54:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,455
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25141216
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/katerleegrand/pseuds/katerleegrand
Summary: FFXV Brotherly Love Week Day 4: Comfort-NightmaresIt's the night before Leviathan's trial. Ignis worries about the events to come, though Noctis reassures him.
Relationships: Noctis Lucis Caelum & Ignis Scientia, Noctis Lucis Caelum/Ignis Scientia
Comments: 3
Kudos: 16
Collections: FFXV Brotherly Love Week





	The Night Before

**Author's Note:**

> ***MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD***
> 
> Nothing major, but I highly recommend you at least play through Chapter 6 of the game before reading this.

“Haha! Suck it Noct!” Prompto cheers, defeating the Prince for a third round of King’s Knight. “Oh, c’mon,” Noctis groans as he flops back on the bed, while Prompto rubs in his victory with an impromptu dance around their hotel room.

Both Ignis and Gladio glance up from the books, amused by the other two’s tomfoolery. Prompto turns back towards Noctis with a smile and collapses next to him.

"What’d you say, buddy, one more round?”

“Ohh it’s on! But this time, you’re going down!!!”

The two quickly settle back into their game. Gladio rolls his eyes, shifting to stretch out on the couch before continuing his book. Ignis watches Noctis and Prompto for a moment longer, before turning in his chair by the window to look out over the Altissian skyline. The city was truly breath-taking at night. He somewhat wished they could have visited in better circumstances.

The battle with Leviathan loomed over all of them. Though they had fought a deity before, and somehow managed to win, Ignis couldn’t help but feel a sense of apprehension for tomorrow’s events. The logical side of his mind argued everything would be fine. Noctis would defeat Leviathan and gain her blessing, then finally reunite with Lady Lunafreya, and be ready to take on the empire.

‘ _But what if he doesn’t? So many things can go wrong tomorrow._ ’

Before Ignis even realizes, he let himself slip into a spiral of dreadful thoughts, his book long forgotten in his lap.

‘ _What if Noctis can’t defeat Leviathan?_ ’

‘ _What if the Empire attack again like with Titan?_ ’

‘ _What if they can’t protect Luna?_ ’

‘ _What if they can’t protect Noct?_ ’

‘ _What if he…loses Noctis?_ ’

Another cheer startles Ignis and rips him from his mind.

“Haha, just admit it Noct! You can’t beat the king of King’s Knight!” Prompto shoves his phone into Noctis’ face for good measure.

“Uuuugggghhh…” Noctis flops back against the bed once more, and finally accepts his defeat. As Prompto performs his new victory danced again, a wicked thought enters the Prince’s mind, and a smirk forms on his face. Reaching up behind him on the bed, he snatches a pillow, and smacks Prompto over the head with it. The blond yelps from the sudden blow. Turning back towards Noct’s smug face, it takes him a moment to realize what happened. Quickly though, Prompto grabs his own weapon from the other bed and exclaims, “THIS MEANS WAR!!!”

The pillow fight of the century ensues. Thumps and thwacks intertwined with yelps and laughter. Noctis quickly gains the upper hand and manages to steal Prompto’s weapon, at which he begins chasing the blond around the room. 

“Ahhh Noct, stop!!” **Thwack** “C’mon dude, not fair!!!” **Thwack**

Noctis laughs, “This is revenge!! Besides, all’s fair in love and war!”

Ignis smiles and chuckles at the antics. Seeing the Prince so happy, so carefree, helps set his mind at ease. Glancing at the clock on the wall: 10:23PM it reads, he gets up to put his book away, and speaks up, interrupting the battle.

“It’s getting quite late. About time to consider going to bed, tomorrow will be a long day.”

Noctis hits Prompto a few more times, before feeling satisfied.

***

The foursome eventually settle in for bed and sleep comes quickly for three of them. One, however, wasn't as lucky. Ignis's mind choose instead to return to the rabbit hole it had dug earlier.

‘ _What if you can’t protect him?_ ’

‘ _What if he dies because you **fail** him?_’

Ignis rolls over and looks at the raven-haired man sleeping beside him.

‘ _I can’t fail him. I **won’t.**_ ’

Turning back over, Ignis stares at the ceiling for what seems like hours, before finally drifting into a fitful sleep.

***

The seawater soaks him to the bone. The salt stings his eyes making it difficult to see. Every muscle aches and his lungs struggle for air. Ignis wills his body on, running as fast as he can through the crumbling city towards the Altar. Leviathan continues her rampage, destroying everything in her path. Her roars shake Ignis to his core. 

‘ _Please let him be okay. Please let him be **alive**._’

Finally reaching the Altar, he races up the steps, and his blood ran cold.

“Noct!” he yells.

He races to his friend’s crippled body, twisted and mangled.

“ **Noct!** ”

Ignis kneels and turns the Prince onto his back. 

"No..."

Ignis places an ear to his chest.

‘ _Please…_ ’

Nothing. Tears fill his eyes.

‘ ** _PLEASE! Gods…please…_** ’

'Thump'

A beat. Faint, but there.

Ignis sighs in relief.

“Noctis, you’re highness, please. Can you hear me?”

Noctis coughs, blood trickling from the side of his mouth. He cracks his eyes open, weakly lifting his hand towards his friend, his brother.

“Iggy…” he croaks.

“Noct! Oh, thank the heavens. Here, let me carry you…”

Noctis weakly grabs the other's hand.

“Iggy…” Noctis coughs again, more blood spilling from his mouth. His body shakes with pain. “Iggy…I’m sorry…I’m so sorry…please…”

“Noct, shh, it's alright...we'll get you help...“

Noct's grip loosens on Ignis’ hand, his eyes slip close.

“Noct! No, please! Just hold on a little longer!! Please!!!”

The Prince’s breathing slows, and eventually his chest falls still.

Ignis grips his hand tight, bringing it to his lips, kissing it. Tears ran down his face now.

“ **Noctis, please!!** ”

Sobs wrack his body. His friend…his love...is gone. He had failed. His head falls back to the sky; his wails echo Leviathan’s roars.

“ **NOOOOOOCCCCCTTTTT!!!** ”

***

Ignis gasps, sitting up in bed. His heart thunders in his chest, mind running in circles. It takes him a few moments to recognize his surroundings. A hotel room…

‘ _A nightmare…? It was just a nightmare?_ ’

He focuses on regaining control of his breathing.

‘ _The whole thing…was just a nightmare…_ ’

He reaches out to the other side of the bed, resting his hand on Noctis’ back. Noctis laid on his stomach, seemingly sound asleep, undisturbed. The rhythmic rising and falling worked to calm him. He leans over and presses a kiss into Noct's hair, before sitting back up. Sighing, he knew there was no way he could go back to sleep. He slowly rises out of bed, and makes his way over to the sliding door, slipping out onto the room’s balcony.

The cool breeze washes over Ignis. He inhales deeply, letting the smell of salt fill his nose. He sighs, still working to calm his mind. He tries to focus on anything, on how the city lights dance off the walls of water, the stray gondola making its way through the bay, the call of a lone gull above his head, how a few people still wander the streets below.

“Ignis…” a voice startles him, and he whirls around.

Noctis stands at the door and looks at him with tired eyes.

“Noct…what are you doing up at this hour?”

“Couldn’t sleep…” He closes the door behind him and leans on the rail next to Ignis.

“Guess I’m just…nervous.” Ignis hums. “What about you though? You’re usually not up either," worry laces his voice. 

“Oh, I just had too much Ebony before bed. Couldn’t sleep either.”

Noctis doesn't seem satisfied with his answer.

“…Are you okay, Iggy?”

Ignis turns to face him, “I’m fine, Noct. No need to worry.”

Noctis lifts an eyebrow, unconvinced.

Ignis hesitates, “...Difficult to admit, but…the reason I’m up…I had a nightmare, about tomorrow…”

“Oh……do you wanna talk about it?”

“I do not wish to burden you with my troubles.”

“Iggy, c’mon. It’ll bother me more not knowing what’s making you upset.”

“Well, to simply put it……I dreamt that…the trial went awry…in a way, that you got hurt…and I wasn’t able to protect you…”

Noctis stays silent as he takes this in. Rather than saying anything though, he steps forward and wraps his arms around Ignis. He leans up and presses a tender kiss to his lips, to which the other returns gladly. They stand there in each other's embrace, and Ignis finally allows himself relax. Before the kiss becomes too heated, Noctis breaks away and steps back.

“Iggy, that was just a nightmare. That won’t happen. Everything will work out tomorrow, I promise. I know I can take on Leviathan, and once I gain her blessing, then we can finally take on the Empire. And take back our home.”

Ignis looks down at him and sees nothing but pure determination in his eyes. Smiling, he pulls the Prince into another hug. He finds himself almost a bit silly for worrying.

‘ _Noctis is right. These fears are out of place. Noctis is strong; he’s fully capable of taking the Goddess on. He’ll be okay…everything will be okay…_ ’

**Author's Note:**

> Okay wow, this is the second kind angsty sad thing I've written in two days. Next one will be fluff, I promise!!
> 
> Anyways, I'm not too crazy at how the ending of this one turned out. It just seems, idk, like kinda rushed or forced. I was trying to finish this through writer's block, so I'll come back to this later this week and edit. 
> 
> If you liked it, feel free to leave a kudos and a comment. If you have any constructive criticism, feel free to let me know. I'm always willing to improve! Have a good morning, day, night wherever you are! :)
> 
> Also, follow me on Twitter @katerleegrand for more garbage.


End file.
